Good News / Bad News / Good News - Count Your Blessings - Saturday

I was going to originally post a summary on the 6 week - Faithful Friday-Count Your Blessings- that I took part in. However on the way home from work, I was given some more things to be thankful for.

First for some Good News: Looks like I may be getting a brand-new car!

Now for some Not So Good News: I was involved in a car crash and my mini-van has sustained some pretty serious damage.

Back to some Good News: No one was hurt. And it was NOT my fault!

This morning, I took my youngest son to work with me for a couple of hours. I wanted to do a bit of paperwork to get caught up for next week. On the way home, as I crossed an intersection, where we did not have to stop, I was smashed into by a car that failed to notice the stop sign he was supposed to stop at. In a split second I saw the car coming at me, but did not have time to do anything but yell out to my son in the backseat.

I was hit so hard my car spun around, hit a telephone pole and a telephone box before stopping at an 180 degree angle and facing back towards the way I had come. As I came to a stop, I made sure my son was o.k. and other than being shaken up, I was in one piece!

I got out, made sure the other driver was o.k. which he was, other than a leg that was scraped up by his airbag. We began the one & a half hour process of police reports and insurance company phone calls. I was less than 2 miles from my house and my husband was able to come quickly to help out.

It may be a few days to find out if my car is "totaled". Which means I will be in the market for a new car. It will cost me some $$$ for this privilege but I guess it's only money....

No sense getting worked up over what I can't change. I am very grateful that no one was seriously hurt. Property can be replaced; hopefully the insurance company will be reasonable.

As I write this post, I realize the influence Count Your Blessings has had on me. I could have looked at this event and only seen the bad. Instead I chose to see the positive!

Sometimes you just have to Count Your Blessings ......

FAITHFUL FRIDAY - COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS WEEK 5

This week the blessing I am giving thanks for is that of my blog.

Last week, as I went for a walk with my 7 year old son, I stopped to acknowledge a neighbor with a friendly dog. As we continued on our way, my son asked, " Do you know that woman?".

I answered "No." and he remarked, "She looks like a blogger."

He thought the lady might be a blogger because she was friendly even though we were strangers. Just like in the bloggy world. .....

I started my personal blog last year to see what "Blogging" was all about and to see if it might be useful for my business. I found the blogosphere to be so much more. It has been a wonderful outlet to archive my family stories. Sort of an electronic scrapbook, that allows me to keep track of everyday life and other minutia. My blog has brought me so many blessings.

Once again, I have friends!
I used to have an active social life. Then my friends and I grew up. We got married, had children and spread out all over the country. Friends that I used to speak to weekly now communicate in yearly Holiday Newsletters. Between work and daily family duties, there is very little "me" time. Schedules are hard to match up and get togethers with friends are difficult to plan.

As I became more active in posting and commenting, I started to "meet" other bloggers and make new friends. I sometimes feel that I live in two universes, "The Real World" and "The Blog-World". Two of my blog-friends, Tara & Tena, have written about the confusion that takes place when we relay "blogosphere friend" stories to those in real-time. Both worlds contain valued camaraderie.

I am very grateful for the friendships that I have made through blogging and blogger networks such as Cre8Buzz. I can now have conversations with friends when I have the time to log on to my computer. No worries about interrupting meals, activities or sleep.


By tracking my life in bit-parts and sound bites, my life seems more memorable and dare I say "interesting".
I have found that daily life seems more exciting in print. I am much more aware of the little, often over-looked details of daily life. Now that I am constantly thinking about my next post, I am more appreciative of events that could easily been missed. My life seems so much more full.


I am now a scrap-booker of sorts!

Sometimes I will refer back to older posts and smile. I have never been much of a archivist and never kept a journal. Somehow it has been easier for me to post my thoughts and stories electronically.

I guess the pressure of knowing that someone will notice if I cease to keep up, is a great motivator! My blog-friends are like workout buddies.... without the sweat and pain..... That's what the "Real World" is for! On that note, it's time to break for fresh air.

And the search for my next post!

Faithful Friday / Count Your Blessings - Week 4

This week I'm running a bit late and decided to break from my usual theme and give thanks for some of the smaller blessings this week.

Sunday we got to meet our new nephew from Seattle for the first time. He is now almost 10 months and just adorable. My middle son Alex told me that his cousin was even cuter than he imagined.
"If he was any cuter, Mom, I'd think he was an alien sent from outer-space to take over the Earth!"

We had a beautiful day at my sister-in-law's pool followed by a barbeque in our backyard. My boys had a chance to see their four girl cousins who live on the other side of town. We also got to see my husband's parents and visit with my Seattle sister-in-law and her partner ( parents of the cutest baby in the world!)

My oldest son was given a trumpet that his cousin Annie, who is his age, didn't need anymore.
As I listen to him attempt to play it, I'm not sure who this is a blessing for.... I think my sister-in-law mentioned something about a no-return policy!

My middle and youngest son continue their weekly piano lessons and are giving mini-concerts on demand for our visitors. They even taught me how to play "Ode to Joy". Speaking of joy,... we have been getting much joy out of our piano, which is turning out to be a good investment.

My older two boys had a chance to swim in the Finals for their swim team and took home some medals.

Last night we had some friends from Colorado visit us with their four children. Another back yard cookout. And fortunately great weather.

Finally, I read the post from Terri's daughter, that she made it through her surgery just fine!

Faithful Friday / Count Your Blessings - Week 2

This week the blessing I want to acknowledge is that of Family.

I was single until I was 36 and had my first child at 37. I remember a time where I did not think I would get married, let alone have children. Now I can not imagine a life without my husband and 3 boys. Having faced the possibility of being a life-long "singleton", makes me much more appreciative of what I have.

I am grateful that my boys are happy, healthy, smart and relatively good boys. They help make me a better person. My life is full.

We had a cookout last weekend with some friends and their two beautiful and brilliant girls. This couple also centers their life around their children. We were discussing the importance of a good education and the importance of parental involvement.

The mom of this family emigrated from China with her family when she was young. They had to leave much of their possessions behind to come to this country. She pointed out that with Wealth, it is possible to lose everything. Education can't be taken away. Her family was able to quickly rebuild their lives due to her parent's knowledge and skills. ( medical and engineering)

She has a friend who owns a business with her husband. The couple work very hard and are never home. They have babysitters watch their children. Mom and Dad are gone from early morning until 9:00 at night. The children are staying up late to see their parents and are doing poorly in school.

The sad part is that the couple is working longer and harder than they need to. They want to provide their children with money and the finer things in life. These mis-guided parents equate money with love. The children need their parents and their presence, not presents. This family may have money but they are poor.

The last few years, we have started to simplify our lives. My husband is taking time out of his career to stay home with the boys. We have adjusted our lifestyle so we can afford to do this. We have discovered that less can be more. Sometimes we need to slow down and enjoy life. Savoring every moment. We are truly blessed to be able to enjoy this time with our boys while they are young. Can't put a price on that!

This post is part of the 6 week Count Your Blessings